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Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Lassa Fever.Health Minister summoned by the Senate.

Lassa fever an acute febrile illness which was first detected in Nigeria in 1969 and comes with bleeding and death in severe cases, with an incubation period of 6-21 days has currently claimed the lives of 40 person out of the 86 case reported as at Friday,9 January.In a very recent report the number of suspected cases has risen up to 96 in about 10 states which includes Bauchi, Nassarawa, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Edo, Plateau, Gombe and Oyo states.

Prof. Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health was on tuesday,summoned by the Senate community to give account over the outbreak of the disease and he confirmed it in Abuja, at a joint ministerial news conference on the update of the outbreak of the disease. He said “Nigeria has the capability to diagnose Lassa fever as all reported cases were confirmed in the nation's laboratories.However, due to the non-specific nature of Lassa fever symptoms and varied presentations, clinical diagnosis is often difficult and delayed, especially in the early course of the disease outbreak”.

The Minister further explained that,the ministry has taken measures to curtail further spread and to reduce mortality among those affected. They include immediate release of adequate quantities of ribavirin, the specific antiviral drug for Lassa Fever to all the affected states for prompt and adequate treatment of cases.

Prof Adewole,advised communities to improve on their hygiene and have better food hygiene. He also implored the public to avoid contact with rodents especially rats, as well as food contaminated with rat’s secretions and excretions.He also added that people should avoid drying food in the open and along roadsides, as well to cover all foods to prevent rodents contamination.